DALLAS - Petty thieves in Dallas won't be picked up by police any longer.
It's part of a new Dallas Police Department initiative.
Police won't respond to a retailer's complaint if the stolen merchandise is less than $50.
"What this does, is allow the officer to stay in the neighborhood, stay on their beat, rather than just transport an individual for [a] shoplift that would have a four percent conviction rate," said Dallas Police Chief David Brown.
Dallas police are now in partnership with retailers like Target, DSW, and David's Bridal, who will provide the thief's information directly to the city attorney's office.
The reason: The consequences were simply not enough to deter thieves.
Now, as part of an initiative launched in early December called Operation O.R.T., or organized retail theft, police will focus on the thieves that feed to larger crime rings that sell stolen goods on the black market.
People like Salvador Martinez Duarte.
"We arrested Salvador Martinez Duarte for organized retail theft, which is a 3rd-degree felony, with a penalty up to 10 years in jail, and a fine up to $10,000."
Police say they found the suspect with more than $13,000 worth of stolen women's goods.
Theft prevention managers, like David Holt of DSW, agree with the new initiative.
"You literally will lose thousands of dollars at one time," Holt said. "In our case, it was typically handbags."
Police say thefts account for half of Dallas' total crime. The department hopes their new focus on theft will allow the city to decrease its crime numbers for the eighth year in a row.
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